Attachment device for mobile phone

ABSTRACT

A device ( 10 ) is for the attachment of mobile phones or like apparatus to a belt or other garment of a user. The device ( 10 ) includes a receptacle body ( 12 ) and corresponding flanged lug fastener ( 11 ) which is attached to the mobile phone or like apparatus. The receptable receptacle body ( 12 ) is adapted to be attached to a belt or the like by means of a clip ( 14 ) positioned on the receptable receptacle body ( 12 ). The body ( 12 ) has an opening ( 25 ) located at its top side portion into which the flange of the lug fastener ( 11 ) is received with the lug fastener ( 11 ) extending through a slot ( 27 ) on the receptable receptacle body ( 12 ) communicating with the opening ( 25 ) such that the mobile phone or like apparatus is positioned outside and adjacent the receptacle body ( 12 ) when the lug fastener ( 11 ) is received within the receptacle body ( 12 ). The device ( 10 ) further includes a locking means within the receptacle body ( 12 ), the locking means having a moveable movable carriage ( 29 ) movable between a receiving position and a holding position, the carriage ( 29 ) receiving the flange of the lug fastener ( 11 ) when the moveable movable carriage ( 29 ) is in the receiving position. The carriage ( 29 ) has holding means to capture and hold the flange of the lug fastener ( 11 ) within the carriage ( 29 ) when the moveable movable carriage is moved into the holding position.

The present invention relates to devices for the attachment of mobilephones or like apparatus to a belt or other garment of a user and, inparticular, to a device which ensures that the mobile phone or otherapparatus cannot be inadvertently dislodged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is very common for people to carry mobile phones and other likecommunication apparatus such as pagers etc clipped to their belt. Themost common method of clipping a mobile phone to ones belt is byinserting the phone into a protective case which has a rigid springoperated clip attached thereto. Other methods use rigid clips which areactually attached or integral to the phone itself.

These methods of clipping mobile phones to belts have the disadvantagethat as the clips are rigidly connected to the phone or protective case,the phone can be inadvertently dislodged from the belt due to themovement of the person, sitting down, walking, etc. as the phone can beknocked or rotated by the person's leg. There is also the disadvantagethat the use of such clips can cause discomfort as the phone is rigidlyset against the person's waist.

Another form of attachment device for a mobile phone is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,597,102. This specification describes a device being thecombination of a circular flanged lug attached to the back of a phone,the lug being received within a slotted receptacle whereby the flangesof the lug are held within the receptacle while the neck of the lugextends through the slot. The circular flanged lug is slid into anopening of the receptacle which is clipped to a person's belt. The lugis supposedly captured within the receptacle by a spring loadedprojection acting on the lug, and is able to rotate whilst captured.This ability to rotate overcomes the disadvantages with regard to thefixed clip of the above described prior art but introduces a problem ofthe phone being inadvertently dislodged by the rotational forces appliedto the phone while it is being carried in this manner. It has been foundthat the device as described in the specification allows the phone to beeasily dislodged as the rotational movement which was the object of thatinvention introduces forces which move the phone within the receptaclewhich allows the rotational movement thereof.

Therefore it is desirous that for an attachment device be provided whichallows rotational motion of the phone and which overcomes the problemassociated with the aforedescribed device by preventing inadvertentdislodgement of the phone from the person's body. It is also desirablefor the provision of a stop means which can lock the phone into a numberof different orientations preventing the free rotational movementthereof.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved devicefor the attachment of mobile phones or like apparatus to a belt or othergarment of a user which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages. At the very least the invention provides analternative to previously proposed attachment devices.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a device for theattachment of mobile phones or like apparatus to a belt or other garmentof a user, said device including a receptacle body and correspondingflanged lug fastener which is attached to the mobile phone or likeapparatus, said receptacle being adapted to be attached to a belt or thelike by means of a clip means positioned on the receptacle body, saidbody having an opening located at its top side portion into which theflange of said lug fastener is received with the lug fastener extendingthrough a slot on said receptacle body communicating with said openingsuch that said mobile phone or like apparatus is positioned outside andadjacent said receptacle body when said lug fastener is received withinsaid receptacle body, wherein said device further includes a lockingmeans within said receptacle body, said locking means having a moveablecarriage movable between a receiving position and a holding position,said carriage receiving said flange of said lug fastener when saidmoveable carriage is in said receiving position, and said carriagehaving holding means to capture and hold said flange of said lugfastener within said carriage when said moveable carriage is moved intosaid holding position.

Preferably, the locking means further includes a release means whichreleases the moveable carriage from the holding position. The carriageis preferably locked in the holding position by a flange and stop meanswhich engage when in the holding position, the carriage being releasedby the release means which is preferably an external buttoncommunicating through an opening in the body, the release means beingmanipulated to force the flange and stop means from their engagement.

In one preferred form of the invention, the holding means is a pair ofpliable arms or articulated arms which are part of the carriage, thearms being forced around the lug fastener to prevent the lug fastenerfrom moving out of the carriage. The free ends of the arms are forcedaround the lug fastener as the carriage moves from the receivingposition to the holding position due to pins in the arms moving within aslotted track in the receptacle body.

In one preferred form of the invention, the lug fastener is circular andis able to rotate within the carriage when held in the holding position.

In another preferred form of the invention, the carriage has holdingmeans to capture and hold the flange of said lug fastener within thecarriage and when said the moveable carriage is moved into the holdingposition, the holding means prevents the flange from rotating.

Preferably the flange and hence the phone attached thereto can have anumber of different orientations when held by the carriage. In apreferred form, the different orientations are discrete positions 90°from each other.

In the preferred form of the invention, the flange of the lug fasteneris substantially circular with indents positioned 90° from each otherand the holding means is a pair of pliable arms which are part of thecarriage, the arms having protrusions which engage with the indents inthe flange of the lug fastener thus restricting rotational movement ofthe lug fastener as well as restricting the lug fastener from moving outof the carriage. The free ends of the arms are forced around the lugfastener as the carriage moves from the receiving position to theholding position due to pins in the arms moving within a slotted trackin the receptacle body, thus capturing the lug fastener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described withreference to the drawings in which.

FIG. 1 is an front view of a device according to the preferredembodiment of the invention, showing the internal components in phantom,in its ready for use mode,

FIG. 2 is a front view of a device of FIG. 1 also showing the internalcomponents in phantom, in its use mode without showing the mobile phonesor like apparatus for clarity reasons,

FIG. 3 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1 without showing theinternal components,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along the lines IV—IV of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a receptacle body of the device ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the receptacle body of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a carriage of the device of FIG.1,

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the carriage of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of a release button of the device ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the release button of FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of a clip of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of the clip of FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a spring of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the spring of FIG. 13,

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a device according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a fastener used with the device of FIG.15.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A device 10, as illustrated in the FIGS. 1 to 14 of the drawings, isused for the attachment of a mobile phone (not illustrated) or likeapparatus to a belt (not illustrated) or other garment of a user whenthe user is carrying their mobile phone on their person. The mobilephone is attached to the device 10 by means of a flanged lug fastener11, as shown as a phantom circle in FIGS. 1 and 2, being received by thedevice 10. The lug is not shown in any detail as it is a standard typefastening lug extending from the case of the mobile phone. In thispreferred embodiment, the flanged lug fastener 11 has a circular flangeand is connected to the rear of the mobile phone in any suitable manner.The lug can be removable or it can be integral with the case of themobile phone.

The device 10 includes a receptacle body 12 into which the flanged lugfastener 11 is received and locked into place enabling it to rotatewhile so locked. The receptacle body 12 has on its rear 13 a spring clip14 which is attachable to a belt or like piece of clothing. The springclip 14 includes a folded spring 15 and an attachment clip portion 16,the spring 15 having one leaf 17 connected to the rear 13 of the body 12with the other leaf 18 being connected to the attachment clip portion 16of the clip 14. The leaf 17 is connected to the rear 13 of the body 12by means of mating holes 19 and pins 20 in and on the leaf 17 and rear13 of the body 12 respectively, while the other leaf 18 is received in apair of guides 21 on the front side of the attachment clip portion 16with a pin 22 on the attachment clip portion 16 mating with a hole 23 onthe other leaf 18.

The receptacle body 12 has an opening 25 at its top 26 into which thelug fastener 11 is received. The flange of the lug fastener 11 is whatis received within the opening 25 while the stem (not illustrated)extends through a slot 27 on the front 28 of the body 12. The slotcommunicates with the opening 25 and therefore the lug fastener 11 isable to be slid into the body 12 with the flange captured behind thefront 28 of the body 12 and therefore can only be lifted out the way itcame in. The circular nature of the lug fastener 12 allows it to beinserted in any orientation.

A moveable carriage 29 and release button 30 are located within thereceptacle body 12. The moveable carriage 29 is located totally withinthe body 12 and is reciprocally movable between a receiving position anda holding position while the release button 30 is partially locatedwithin the body 12 with a button portion 31 extending out from anaperture 32 in the bottom 33 of the body 12 with a release mechanismportion 34 being located within the body 12.

The moveable carriage 29 has a pair of holding arms 35 extendingupwardly, the arms 35 effectively forming a recess 36 between their freeends 37 into which the lug fastener 11 is received. Each of the arms 35have a pin 38 located at their free end 37, the pin 38 facing rearwardlyand being located within a slotted guide 39 in the rear portion 13 ofthe body 12. The slotted guides 39 are curved towards the centre line ofthe rear portion 13 thus forcing the free ends 37 of the arms 35 towardseach other as the carriage is moved downwardly from the receivingposition to the holding position. The arms 35 are preferably pliable butcan take the form of articulated arms.

The carriage 29 also has a pair of relatively stiff but pliable lugs 40extending downwardly along its sides with the lugs 40 having anoutwardly facing flange 41 which mate with a pair of inwardly facingstops 42 located in the body 12 extending from the internal rearsurface.

The release button 30 also has a pair of lugs 43 which extend upwardlyfrom the button portion 31 with the lugs 43 interacting with the lugs 40of the carriage 29. The lugs 43 each have an outwardly facing flange 44which mates with a corresponding stop 45 in the body 12. These stops 45prevent the release button from inadvertently coming out of the body 12through aperture 32. The lugs 43 when moved upwardly force the lugs 40towards each other as the lugs 43 move along a ramp 46 on the outwardface of the lugs 40. This motion releases the flanges 41 from the stops42 thus releasing the carriage 29 from the holding position. A pair ofprojections 47 on the carriage 29 and release button 30 respectivelyhold a coil spring 48 which extends between the carriage 29 and releasebutton 30 which in turn urges the button 30 in the downwards direction.

In use the lug fastener 11 is slid into the opening 25 of the body 12with the stem of the lug fastener extending through the slot 27 whilethe device is attached to a belt or the like. The flange of the lugfastener 11 is effectively received within the recess 36 between thearms 35 and abutting against the carriage 29 which forces the carriage29 downwards. As the carriage 29 moves in this direction, the lugs 40move towards the centre line due to the ramp 46 acting against the stop42 until reaching the holding position when the flanges 41 are held bythe stops 42 and thereby prevented from moving upwards.

At the same time as the carriage 29 is being locked into the holdingposition, the free ends 37 of the arms 35 are move by the action of thepins 38 in the slotted guides 39 thus effectively wrapping around theflange of the lug fastener 11 as seen in FIG. 2. Thus the lug fastener11 is held in the device 10 and the carriage 29 which is holding it islocked into this holding position. The lug fastener 11 is only able torotate while it is in this holding position.

To release the lug fastener 11, and hence the mobile phone from thedevice 10, the release button 30 is pushed against the action of thespring 48 forcing the lugs 40 towards each other as described above.This releases the carriage 29 from the holding position and the actionof the spring 48 forces the carriage 29, and hence the phone, upwardswith the lug fastener 11 being able to be removed from the device 10.

A device 50 in combination with a lug fastener 51, as illustrated inFIGS. 15 and 16 of the drawings, is used for the attachment of aMotorola STARTAC“V”® mobile phone (not illustrated) or like apparatus toa belt (not illustrated) or other garment of a user when the user iscarrying their mobile phone on their person. The mobile phone isattached to the device 50 by means of the flanged lug fastener 51 (FIG.16) being received by the device 50.

The lug fastener 51 is shown positioned on a device 52 which is able tobe clipped to a face of a mobile phone. In this embodiment, the flangedlug fastener 51 is a substantially circular flange 53 having fourindents 54 positioned 90° from each other. The lug fastener 51 can beremovable or it can be integral with the case of the mobile phone.

The device 50 includes a receptacle body 55 into which the flanged lugfastener 51 is received and locked into place restricting rotation whileso locked. The receptacle body 55 has a spring clip 56 on its rear 57,the spring clip 56 being attachable to a belt or like piece of clothing.The spring clip 56 includes a folded spring 58 and an attachment clipportion 59, the spring 58 having one leaf 60 connected to the rear 57 ofthe body 55 with the other leaf 61 being connected to the attachmentclip portion 59 of the clip 56. The leaf 60 is connected to the rear 57of the body 55 by means of mating pins 72 and holes 73 in and on theleafs 60 and 6 the rear 57 of the body 55 and attachment clip portion58, respectively.

The receptacle body 55 has an opening 64 at its top 65 into which thelug fastener 51 is received. The flange 53 of the lug fastener 51 isreceived within the opening 64 while the stem (not illustrated) extendsthrough a slot 66 on the front 67 of the body 55. The slot 66communicates with the opening 64 and therefore the lug fastener 51 isable to be slid into the body 55 with the flange 53 being capturedbehind the front 67 of the body 55. Therefore the lug fastener 51 canonly be lifted out the way it came in. The circular nature of the lugfastener 51 allows it to be inserted in any orientation.

A moveable carriage 68 and release button 69 are located within thereceptacle body 55. The moveable carriage 68 is located totally withinthe body 55 and is reciprocally movable between a receiving position anda holding position while the release button 69 is partially locatedwithin the body 55 with a button portion 70 extending out from anaperture 71 in the bottom 72 of the body 55 with a release mechanismportion 73 being located within the body 55.

The moveable carriage 68 has a pair of holding arms 74 fitted to itsbody portion 75, the arms 74 extending upwardly, the arms 74 effectivelyforming a recess 76 between their free ends 77 into which the lugfastener 51 is received. The arms 74 are fitted by means of protrusions78 partially fitting into corresponding arcuate slots 79 in the bodyportion 75 with a portion of the protrusions extending away from thebody portion 75.

Each of the arms 74 have a pin 80 located at their free end 77, the pin80 facing rearwardly and being located within a slotted guide 81 in thebody 55. The slotted guides 81 are curved towards the centre line of thebody 55 thus forcing the free ends 77 of the arms 74 towards each otheras the carriage 68 is moved downwardly from the receiving position tothe holding position.

The arms 74 each have a ramped flange 82 extending downwardly along itslength, the ramped flanges 82 mating with a pair of inwardly facingstops 83 located in the body 55, the stops 83 preventing the carriagefrom moving out of the body 55.

The release button 69 also has a pair of lugs 84 which extend upwardlyfrom the button portion 70 with the lugs 74 interacting with the flanges82 of the arms 74 of the carriage 68. The lugs 74 each have an outwardlyfacing flange 85 which mates with a corresponding stop 86 in the body55. These stops 86 prevent the release button 69 from inadvertentlycoming out of the body 55 through the aperture 71 as well as holding theflanges 82 when in the holding position. The lugs 84 when moved upwardlyforce the flanges 82 towards each other as the lugs 84 move along a ramp87 on the flanges 82. This motion releases the flanges 82 from the stops86 thus releasing the carriage 68 from the holding position. A pair ofprojections 88 on the carriage 68 and the release button 69, (not shownon the release button 69), respectively hold a coil spring 89 whichextends between the carriage 68 and release button 69 which in turnurges the button 69 in the downwards direction and the carriage 68 inthe upwards direction.

In use the lug fastener 51 is slid into the opening 64 of the body 55with the stem of the lug fastener extending through the slot 66 whilethe device 50 is attached to a belt or the like. The flange 53 of thelug fastener 51 is effectively received within the recess 76 between thearms 74 with the indents 54 of the flange 53 mating with the protrusions78 of the arms 74. At this stage, the flange 53 is abutting against thecarriage 68 which forces the carriage 68 downwards. As the carriage 68moves in this direction, the flanges 62 move towards the centre line dueto the ramps 87 acting against the stops 83 and ramps 90 between thestops 83 and 86 until reaching the holding position when the flanges 82are held by the stops 86 and thereby prevented from moving upwardly.

At the same time as the carriage 68 is being locked into the holdingposition, the free ends 77 of the arms 74 are moved by the action of thepins 79 in the slotted guides 81 thus effectively wrapping around theflange 53 of the lug fastener 51. Thus the lug fastener 51 is held inthe device 50 and the carriage 68. The lug fastener 51 is restrictedfrom rotating due to the protrusions 78 being captured in the indents 54while it is in this holding position. This restriction to rotation doesnot prevent the lug fastener 51 being rotated as the protrusions 78 areflexible and are able to flex out of the way enough force is exerted.

In this embodiment the indents 54 are positioned 90° from each other andtherefore the lug fastener 51 (and hence the phone) can take fourdifferent orientations. Naturally this arrangement can be different andany useful orientation can be arranged. As the lug fastener 51 is ableto be rotated when sufficient force is applied, it generally can bemoved to the orientation desired at any particular time by changing thepositions of the four indents 54 with respect to the two protrusions 78.

To release the lug fastener 51, and hence the mobile phone from thedevice 50, the release button 69 is pushed against the action of thespring 89 forcing the flanges 82 towards each other as described above.This releases the carriage 68 from the holding position and the actionof the spring 89 forces the carriage 68, and hence the phone, upwardswith the lug fastener 51 being able to be removed from the device 50.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention,and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be madethereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1. A device for the attachment of mobile phones or like apparatus to abelt or other garment of a user, said device including a receptacle bodyand corresponding flanged lug fastener which is attached to the mobilephone or like apparatus, said receptacle body being adapted to beattached to a belt or the like by means of a clip means positioned onthe receptacle body, said receptacle body having an opening located atits top side portion into which the flange of said lug fastener isreceived with the lug fastener extending through a slot on saidreceptacle body communicating with said opening such that said mobilephone or like apparatus is positioned outside and adjacent saidreceptacle body when said lug fastener is received within saidreceptacle body, wherein said device further includes a locking meansmovable carriage within said receptacle body, said locking means havinga movable carriage being movable between a receiving position and aholding position, said carriage receiving said flange of said lugfastener when said movable carriage is in said receiving position, andsaid carriage device having holding means to capture and hold saidflange of said lug fastener within said carriage when said movablefastener carriage is moved into said holding position, and wherein theholding means is a pair of pliable arms or articulated arms which arepart of the carriage , the arms being forced around the lug fastener toprevent the lug fastener from moving out of the carriage.
 2. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the free ends of the arms are forcedaround the lug fastener as the carriage moves from the receivingposition to the holding position due to pins in the arms moving within aslotted track in the receptacle body.
 3. A device for the attachment ofmobile phones or like apparatus to a belt or other garment of a user,said device including a receptacle body and corresponding flanged lugfastener which is attached to the mobile phone or like apparatus, saidreceptacle body being adapted to be attached to a belt or the like bymeans of a clip means positioned on the receptacle body, said receptaclebody having an opening located at its top side portion into which theflange of said lug fastener is received with the lug fastener extendingthrough a slot on said receptacle body communicating with said openingsuch that said mobile phone or like apparatus is positioned outside andadjacent said receptacle body when said lug fastener is received withinsaid receptacle body, wherein said device further includes a lockingresisting means within said receptacle body, said locking resistingmeans having a movable carriage movable between a receiving position anda holding position, said carriage receiving said flange of said lugfastener when said movable carriage is in said receiving position, andsaid carriage having holding means to capture and hold said flange ofsaid lug fastener within said carriage when said movable fastener ismoved into said holding position, wherein the holding means prevents theflange from rotating, and wherein the holding means is a pair of pliablearms which are part of the carriage, the arms having protrusions atleast one protrusion which engage engages with indents an indent in theflange of the lug fastener thus restricting to resist rotationalmovement of the lug fastener as well as restricting the lug fastenerfrom moving out of the carriage .
 4. The device according to claim 3 9,wherein the free ends of the arms are forced around the lug fastener asthe carriage moves from the receiving position to the holding positiondue to pins in the arms moving within a slotted track in the receptaclebody, thus capturing the lug fastener.
 5. The device according to claim4, wherein the locking resisting means further includes a release meanswhich releases the moveable carriage from the holding position.
 6. Thedevice according to claim 5, wherein the carriage is locked in theholding position by a flange and stop means which engage when thecarriage is in the holding position, the carriage being released by therelease means which consists of an external button communicating throughan opening in the receptacle body, the release means being manipulatedto force the flange and stop means from their engagement.
 7. The deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein said resisting means includes a carriagewithin said receptacle body and movable between a receiving position anda holding position, said carriage receiving said flange of said lugfastener when said carriage is in said receiving position.
 8. The deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein said carriage has holding means to captureand hold said flange of said lug fastener within said carriage when saidcarriage is moved into said holding position.
 9. The device according toclaim 8, wherein the holding means is a pair of pliable arms orarticulated arms which are part of the carriage, the arms havingprotrusions which engage with respective indents in the flange of thelug fastener.
 10. The device according to claim 7, wherein saidprotrusion is provided on said carriage.
 11. The device according toclaim 1, wherein the arms are part of the carriage.
 12. The deviceaccording to claim 1, including a spring urging the carriage from theholding position towards the receiving position.
 13. The deviceaccording to claim 12, including a retaining means for securing thecarriage in the holding position and a release button within thereceptacle for releasing the carriage from the retaining means, andwherein the spring is effective between the release button and thecarriage.
 14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the clip meanscomprises a folded spring having first and second leaves, the first leafbeing attached to the receptacle body.
 15. The device according to claim14, wherein the clip means comprises an attachment clip portion attachedto the second leaf of the folded spring.
 16. The device according toclaim 3, wherein the clip means comprises a folded spring having firstand second leaves, the first leaf being attached to the receptacle body.17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the clip means comprisesan attachment clip portion attached to the second leaf of the foldedspring.